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College students face health risks from misuse of prescription stimulants

Misuse of prescription stimulants by students has become a fact of life on college campuses as some students seek every advantage they can to succeed. Prescription stimulants such as Adderall have been shown to improve symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but there is limited evidence the drugs enhance the cognitive abilities of college students without ADHD. There is evidence, however, that they can pose serious health risks.

In a systematic review of hundreds of research studies on prescription stimulants and the misuse of drugs prescribed for those with ADHD, University of Rhode Island Psychology Professor Lisa Weyandt found that between 5 and 35 percent of...

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oceanography ]
Grad student publishes field guide to whales, dolphins
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As University of Rhode Island graduate student Tara Stevens nears completion of her doctorate at the Graduate School of Oceanography, she is already celebrating publication of her first book, Whales and Dolphins of Atlantic Canada and Northeast United States.